Help from clergy changed lives of many students from most deprived areas

As Ireland rethinks school patronage, new research reveals the unseen ways clergy shaped lives and enabled social mobility in disadvantaged communities, writes Helen Lowe

When we talk about social mobility, we often focus on government programmes, educational policy, or perhaps a stroke of luck. But in the heart of these estates, communities long defined by structural disadvantage and stigma, a quieter, more personal force was often at work: the local clergy.

Growing up in poverty and experiencing social exclusion within marginalised communities can significantly hinder educational and professional success. 

My place of origin is Ballinacurra Weston, an estate on the southside of Limerick City, long associated with poverty, crime, and deprivation. Making positive choices in a neighbourhood like Weston is never easy, often bringing ridicule and ostracisation.